


They Call It Puppy Love

by XFangHeartX



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anthropomorphic, Curses, Dogs, F/M, Fantasy, Spirits
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-03-05 18:15:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13393479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XFangHeartX/pseuds/XFangHeartX
Summary: While driving home one night from a New Year's party, university student Nami accidentally runs over someone with her car: a boy named Luffy, who is actually under a dog's spirit's curse. Nami takes Luffy home to nurse him back to health, but he decides to stay with her instead. Now, Nami must try and find a way to keep Luffy on a short leash (no pun intended), as well as try to keep these strange feelings of hers in check. After all, a girl can't fall for a dog...right?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I was hit with inspiration when I saw a Shonen Jump for 2018 with all the characters looking like dogs, and Luffy's was the best, so I decided to do a new story.
> 
> One Piece © Oda

"Well, that was quite fun, wasn't it?"

"Yeah! That was the first time I ever had sake! Zoro was right! It is good stuff!"

"Too bad he's asleep, otherwise he'd hear you say it...hey, Moss-head! You awake or what?!"

"Shut...up...Dartboard..."

"What did you say?!"

"Sanji, don't fight while Nami's driving!"

Nami kept her hands gripped on the steering wheel, her eyes focused on the road ahead as the snow fell gently from the sky. Despite her eyelids drooping sleepily, she forced herself to stay focused until she got her friends and herself back home, safely. She yawned, briefly, but then she quickly shook it off before she kept driving, making sure not to go too fast on the next curve.

"Nami?"

Nami looked up at the mirror and met the icy blue eyes of one of her schoolmates, Nico Robin, who blinked at her worriedly as she sat in back seat with her boyfriend, Roronoa Zoro, who snored softly with a light blush on his face. To her left sat Sanji, who was talking to the young man behind him, Usopp, while Sanji's girlfriend, Nefertari Vivi sat in the passenger seat up front.

"Is everything okay?" Robin asked. "You've actually been acting a bit...well..."

"Well, what?" Nami asked.

"You weren't really acting like yourself at the party, Nami," Vivi answered. "You hardly talked to anyone, you didn't dance with anybody...hell, some of the guys were hitting on you, and you even didn't even give them the time of day!"

"Yeah!" Usopp added. "Usually, you charge them for making a pass at you! What gives?"

Nami's right eyebrow twitched at the long-nose boy's statement in irritation.

"For your information," she began, "I just wasn't in the mood, okay?"

"What about when the fireworks went off?" asked Sanji. "You always cheer the moment the first second of New Year arrives."

Nami didn't answer, but instead sighed as she kept driving, the only thing breaking the silence being the humming of the car's engine and Zoro's snoring.

"Nami?" asked Vivi in concern.

"...I dunno," Nami said. "I just feel like...another year's come again, but I feel like I'm gonna be doing the same things I do, every year! Go to school, go to a lecture, go home, study, go to sleep, go to school, again! I just..." She then sighed. "I just wanna break from my usual routine, y'know? Maybe go out on vacation somewhere. Hell, I might decide to leave Japan, altogether!"

"You mean...start over?" asked Usopp. "In a new country? Like in America or something?"

"I guess," Nami answered before she sighed. "But who am I kidding? I'm just gonna stuck in my same humdrum life...maybe forever."

**BA-THUMP!!**

"AAAAH!!!" everyone screamed as they felt the car jump, and Nami slammed her foot on the brakes, causing the vehicle to brake to a screeching halt. It was so jarring, even Zoro ended up waking up from his slumber.

"What the hell?!" he questioned. "Nami, what the hell are you doing?!"

Nami opened the car and brought out her phone, using the flashlight function to bring light to the road...and then she gasped upon seeing a motionless shape, lying on asphalt. All she could make out was a red orange shirt with a hood on the back and an old, tattered straw hat that covered a head full of jet black hair. However, the most noticeable thing of all was that whoever it was lying in a forming pool of blood.

"Oh, my god...!" Nami whispered. "Guys, I think I just ran someone over!!"

"What?!" Vivi questioned as she and the others soon got out of the car, as well.

"Oh, man, don't tell me we just killed somebody!" Usopp bemoaned. "I'm too young to go to jail!"

"Shut up, idiot!" Zoro said as he smacked his friend in the back of his head. "No one's going to jail."

"W-what do we do?" Sanji asked, but he soon got his answer when Nami cautiously approached the figure.

"Nami, be careful!" Robin warned as the orange-haired girl stood before the unfortunate victim...only for another gasp to escape her mouth.

"W-what?! What is it?!!" Usopp asked, worriedly.

"Nami?" Vivi inquired.

"Guys," Nami said as she turned to the others, "come and get a closer look."

"A-are you sure that's a good idea, Nami?" Usopp asked.

"Just come here!" Nami demanded, and her friends heeded her word. As they got closer, they all took on looks of shock and disbelief. It looked like a boy, about Usopp's height, wearing a red orange hooded shirt and a blue jean shorts with white, puffy rims, which was odd for this sort of weather. He also seemed to have two scars; one under his left eye and a large X-shaped one on his chest. His body was covered in various wounds, possibly from when Nami ran him over. However, that wasn't what got Nami and her friends stunned: his entire body, from head-to-toe, was covered in golden-brown fur and he had a creamy white stomach, chest, fingers, toes, and...a muzzle, with a black nose on the end, too. His mouth, slightly gaping open, showed that it was full of sharp teeth, and his lips were black and shiny. Out of his backside was a big, bushy, curled tail, and at the top of his head, practically sprouting out of the straw hat, was a pair of point, triangular ears.

"Uh...is it me?" Sanji asked. "Or does this dude look more like a...dog?!"

"He looks like he's human," Robin mused.

"I don't know any human that has fur, pointy ears, and a tail!" Usopp added.

"Who cares?!" Nami asked. "Human, dog, it doesn't matter! He needs help!" She then got down on one knee and gently nudged the boy...which elicited a small groan from him.

"Holy shit, he's still alive!" Zoro exclaimed.

"Quick! Get him in the car!!" Nami ordered. "Sanji, drive for me, okay?!"

"Right!" Sanji nodded as he got into the driver's seat while Zoro picked the canine boy up and gently hoisted him over his shoulder before carrying him into the car, then placing him in one of the passenger seats while Nami sat beside him. The boy groaned as he started to open his eyes, but then closed them again as he let out labored breaths while Sanji drove the car.

"Uh...Nami?" Usopp asked. "I don't think he's gonna make it!"

"Hey! Hey!!" Nami cried as she shook the boy. "Can you hear me?! Come on, stay with me, okay?! You're gonna be fine! We're gonna take you to a hospital and they're gonna take care of you!"

A pause...but then, to Nami's surprise, she heard him speak.

"...D...do... ta... me..." the boy said in barely a whisper.

"What?" Nami asked as she put her ear to his mouth. "What did you say?!"

"...Don't...take me...to a hospital..."

"What'd he say?!" Sanji asked.

"I think he said not to take him to the hospital!" Usopp answered.

"But he's about to die!" Vivi cried. "What do we do with him?!"

"Take him to a vet?" Zoro quipped.

"Zoro!" Robin chided.

"What?!" Zoro questioned. "I'm just saying!"

"If he doesn't want us to take him to the hospital," Sanji began, "where should we take him?!"

A pause...but then Nami gasped silently.

"Let's take him to my house!" she exclaimed.

"What?!" Usopp questioned. "Are you kidding?!"

"Look, I don't think taking him to a hospital or a vet will help him!" Nami argued. "Odds are he might get sent to some kind of freak show, or worse, a lab or something! You guys got any better ideas?!"

No one dared to answer.

"...I say we trust Nami's decision," Robin spoke.

"Me, too," Sanji added.

"Same," Vivi nodded.

"...It's crazy," Zoro began, "but what have we got to lose?"

"I guess you're right," Usopp answered.

"In the meantime," Robin began, "Nami, don't let him fall asleep. Do what it takes to keep him awake."

"Try talking to him more," Sanji answered.

Nami sighed before she looked over at the boy, whose breathing hitched for a moment, causing Nami to tense up before he went back to breathing steadily. The orange-haired girl sighed as she put a hand on his shoulder, causing him to open one eye at her.

"You're gonna be okay," Nami said with a reassuring smile. "We're not gonna take you to a hospital...but listen, you gotta make it through this, okay? You have to live!"

"...Have...to live..." the boy repeated.

"That's right!" Nami exclaimed. "You can make it through this! Uh...oh! I know! My name is Nami...and what's your name?"

"...My...my name is...Lu...ffy..." the boy whispered before he sighed.

"...Luffy, huh?" Nami asked...until she noticed his silence, causing her to gasp before she began to shake him again. "H-hey! Hey!! Don't fall asleep, whatever you do!! Luffy, do you hear me?! Hey!!!"

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	2. Ch. 1- Meet Luffy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy wakes up in Nami's house and (after eating almost everything in her fridge) reveals to her how he had gotten cursed. With nowhere to go or return to, Luffy decides to live with Nami.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One Piece © Oda

 The sun's ray shined through the window. The air still felt cold and there was still snow on the ground, outside, and there was this unusual scent of tangerines in the room. It did smell nice, though, and it almost made him want to sleep a bit longer...until he suddenly woke up with a loud sneeze.  
  
 With a groan, he sat up and found himself on a couch that was covered with a white sheet, and a blanket ended up rolling off of him. He then took a look around to find a coffee table, some framed pictures on the wall, a couple of chairs, one of which had an orange-haired lady wearing a pink bath robe and wearing a pair of white kitty slippers...  
  
 Wait a minute...lady? What was a lady doing in his house?  
  
 It took perhaps a good half a minute for him to realize...this was not his house.  
  
 "Uhh...hello?" Luffy asked, causing Nami's eyes to flutter open before she noticed him.  
  
 "Oh!" Nami exclaimed, her eyes now wide awake. "Y-you're awake!"  
  
 "Uh...yeah, I am," Luffy answered. "Uh...what am I doing here?"  
  
 "Oh, my friends and I found you, remember?" Nami asked.  
  
 Luffy blinked before he furrowed his brow in deep contemplation...and then, he gasped as he remembered the events from last night.  
  
 "Oh, yeah!" he exclaimed. "I was in your car!"  
  
 "It was a good thing we found you, too," Nami said. "You could've done dead if we hadn't come along."  
  
 "Oh, I see," Luffy replied. "So you saved my life, right?" He then bowed his head to her, gratefully. "Thanks a lot."  
  
 "No problem," Nami smiled. "After all, it's kind of my fault you got hurt anyway."  
  
 "Huh?" Luffy muttered. "What do you mean?"  
  
 "...I...kind of ran you over...with my car," Nami answered, sheepishly.  
  
 "You did?" Luffy asked.  
  
 "You were all bloody and you had all these injuries on you!" Nami reminded. "Remember?"  
  
 A pause...but then Luffy's eyes went wide and his ears pricked up.  
  
 "Oh, wait a minute!" he exclaimed. "You didn't do that to me! I got into a fight before I collapsed on the road."  
  
 "...A fight?" Nami repeated.  
  
 "Yeah," Luffy answered. "I got shot in my leg, twice, and the bullets went straight through, got stabbed in the chest, got my wrist bitten by a feral dog, and finally, got hit in the head with a steel bat...but I won, though! Shishishi!"  
  
 Nami gaped at the dog-looking boy in disbelief. How he even managed to survive such a beating, even without her running him over with her car, was beyond her.  
  
 Her train of thought was soon interrupted when a deep rumbling sound filled the air, and Luffy pressed a paw against his stomach.  
  
 "Oh, right!" Nami realized. "You must be hungry!"  
  
 "I sure am," Luffy answered. "I haven't eaten in a while...you wouldn't happen to have any meat, would you? I mean, I'll eat anything, but meat's my absolute favorite!"  
  
 "I'll...see what I can scrounge up," Nami answered.  
  
  _'Is it safe to give human food to a boy that looks like a dog?'_  she thought.  _'...Well...I'm sure it's not too big a deal. Plus, I'm sure he won't eat too much.'_  
  


XXX

  
_'...I could not have been more wrong,'_  Nami thought as she watched Luffy scarf down everything she placed on the table: the leftover spaghetti, some pork katsu udon from the New Year's party, last night, some chilled shrimp ramen, some vanilla cookies, some rice balls filled with chicken and cheese, and a whole lot of other things.  
  
 "Aaaah...!" Luffy sighed as he leaned back in the chair, patting his bloated stomach. "Man, I'm stuffed!" He then gave a rather noisy belch. "Oops! Shishishishi! 'Scuse me."  
  
 "Uh..." Nami muttered as she looked over at her nearly empty fridge. The only thing she could find was a single carton of tangerine juice.  
  
 "Oh..." Luffy said, his ears drooping in slight guilt. "Did I eat all your food?"  
  
 "Uh...don't worry about it," Nami reassured. "Besides, I was gonna go to the store, anyway!"  
  
 _'I can't believe this!'_  she thought.  _'It took half of the money I had just to fill the fridge!'_  
  
 "By the way," Luffy began, "you never told me your name."  
  
 "Huh?" Nami asked. "Oh! Right! I'm Nami. And...you're Luffy?"  
  
 "Yep!" Luffy answered. "Monkey D. Luffy! Shishishi!"  
  
 "Okay, Luffy," Nami answered. "It's nice to meet you."  
  
 "You, too!" Luffy replied with a broad, toothy grin...filled with sharp fangs. Truth be told, the sight nearly made Nami jump right out of her chair, but she managed to remain calm.  
  
 "Um...so, Luffy," Nami began, "mind telling me why you look like a...well, y'know...a dog?"  
  
 Luffy blinked at Nami in surprise before he chuckled.  
  
 "Right," he said. "I figured you'd ask sooner or later. Well...honestly, I don't know if you'd believe it."  
  
 "Try me," Nami challenged.  
  
 "Okay," Luffy replied before he took in a deep breath. "I was...cursed."  
  
 "...Cursed?" Nami repeated.  
  
 "Yeah," Luffy began, "by a dog spirit."  
  
 Nami just stared at Luffy, who stared right back at her before he sighed.  
  
 "You don't believe me, do you?" Luffy asked.  
  
 "N-no, no!" Nami assured. "I do! It's just...why?"  
  
 "Well...I kind of accidentally broke a statue at a shrine because I wasn't being too careful," Luffy answered. "Apparently, the spirit didn't like that very much, so he put this curse on me. Now I look like this."  
  
 "And he didn't give you any clue as to how to break it?" Nami asked. "I mean...no cryptic riddle or something like that?"  
  
 "Nope," Luffy answered. "He said I didn't have much understanding of how others might feel. I didn't know what he meant."  
  
 "Well, why didn't you just go home?" Nami asked. "I'm sure your family would've helped you out."  
  
 A pause...but then Luffy looked away, his cheery mood suddenly turning somber.  
  
 "I...I don't have a family," he said. "I'm homeless."  
  
 "You are?" Nami asked in concern.  
  
 "Yup," Luffy replied, "but hey...what can you do? That's life. Tough."  
  
 "And...you just accept that?" Nami asked.  
  
 "Well, it's not too bad, being on my own!" Luffy assured. "I mean, I get to do what I want, when I wanna do it, and no one tells me what to do...and plus, now that I'm a dog, I get to do all these cool things I couldn't do when I was human! I mean, I can hear really well, and smell things really well, too! Plus, I can run on all fours and I'm really fast! That's pretty cool, right?!"  
  
 'How can he make light of all this?!' thought Nami. 'He doesn't have a home or anyone to turn to...and yet he treats it like some kind of game?!'  
  
 "Luffy...don't you have anywhere to stay?" Nami asked. "A hotel or something?"  
  
 "Well, I would," Luffy began, "but I kinda don't have any money, and even if I did, I doubt they'd let me in...you know, since I'm a dog."  
  
 "Oh, yeah," Nami realized. "Well...what are you gonna do?"  
  
 A pause...but then Luffy's mouth took on an O shape as he pounded a fist in his palm.  
  
 "I got it!" he exclaimed. "I'll just stay here with you!"  
  
 "HAH?!!" Nami questioned.  
  
 "Yeah, it's perfect!" Luffy answered, his bushy, curly tail wagging happily. "I can stay here with you! I mean, you did save my life and all, plus you brought me here to your house and fed me when you didn't have to!"  
  
 "W-wait, Luffy!" Nami cried. "I don't think-"  
  
 "This'll be awesome! We'll be like roommates!" Luffy exclaimed. "Won't that be fun, Nami? Shishishishi!"  
  
 "...Yeah...fun," Nami answered.  
  
 _'What in the hell have I gotten myself into?!'_  
  


**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	3. Ch. 2- Make the Most of It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After making a trip to the store, Nami decides to make the most of Luffy staying with her, and luckily, her friends are around to help her out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One Piece © Oda

 "He ate EVERYTHING in your fridge?!"  
  
 "Everything, Vivi. Even stuff that was days old! It was like he was a garbage disposal or something!"  
  
 "I've heard of gluttons, but this is ridiculous."  
  
 Nami sighed as she put the last of the groceries in the back of her car, with the help of Zoro, Sanji, and Robin, while Usopp and Vivi sat in their seats.  
  
 "I can't believe this," Sanji grumbled. "He not only eats your entire fridge dry, but now, you have to buy twice as much food just to keep that greedy pig of a dog satisfied."  
  
 "Honestly, Sanji, I don't mind it," Nami said. "I mean...it's not really his fault, right? He doesn't really have a home of his own, and who knows how long it's been since he had a good meal?"  
  
 "I guess that's true," Sanji concurred. "Poor guy was probably starving."  
  
 "I know it seems like a lot," Nami began, "but I just have to make the most of it until I figure out what to do with him."  
  
 "Well, we'll help you if you need it," Robin said.  
  
 "Thanks," Nami said. "I'm gonna need all the help I can get with this guy."  
  
 "That's the last of them," said Zoro as he put the groceries in the back.  
  
 "Thanks for the help," Nami said as she and the rest got in the car and they all drove off.  
  
 "So, lemme get this straight, just one more time," Usopp said. "He says he's cursed to look like a dog? Are you sure it's not some guy in a costume?"  
  
 "That was what I thought, too," said Nami, "but when I was dressing his wounds last night, the fur was actually attached to his body. He really is a dog! Well...a human and a dog at the same time, I guess. When I asked him about how to lift the curse, he said the spirit who cursed him didn't give him any clues."  
  
 "Spirits can be pretty cryptic," Sanji said with crossed arms in contemplation.  
  
 "You actually believe in that nonsense?" Zoro asked.  
  
 "Well, there's a lot of lore and myth about stuff like that," Vivi said. "Why do you think people often make shrines for cats or raccoon dogs or even foxes? There's even a temple with herds of deer roaming around because they say that the deer are messengers of the gods."  
  
 "Either way," Nami started, "it looks like Luffy's staying with me for the time being." A pause. "...Unless...one of you guys could...?"  
  
 "What are you, crazy?!" Usopp questioned. "It's hard enough taking care of my puppy, Chopper!"  
  
 "Well, what about you, Vivi?" Nami asked. "Your backyard has tons of space."  
  
 "I have a whole menagerie of animals back at home, Nami," Vivi answered. "Including my duck, Carue, and my camel, Eyelash. My Father won't let me take in anymore animals."  
  
 "Zoro?" Nami asked. "You and Robin could take him, right?"  
  
 "You know our building doesn't allow dogs," Zoro said. "Human-like or otherwise."  
  
 "Sorry, Nami," Robin shrugged.  
  
 "...Sanji?" Nami asked, almost pleadingly.  
  
 "I already got in trouble with Old Man Zeff for feeding strays at the restaurant," Sanji replied. "Sorry, Nami, but it looks like you're stuck with him."  
  
 "...Great," Nami muttered in irritation.

 

XXX

  
 A while later, the group had arrived at Nami's house, where they heard sound of the TV inside. They could hear gunshots, swords clanging, and yelling, so it must've been some sort of action show.  
  
 "Is he watching the TV in there?" Usopp asked.  
  
 "I was afraid of what Luffy might do if I left him alone," Nami answered. "I wanted to make him feel like there was still someone in the house with him."  
  
 "Sounds like something a dog owner would do," mused Robin.  
  
 "...Well, if you put it that way," Nami began, "it almost sounds like I'm treating him like he really is an animal instead of a guest in my house."  
  
 "I'm sure he doesn't mind," Vivi said.  
  
 "Well, still," Nami began, "let's just get this food in the house. I'm sure he's hungry by now."  
  
 "Fine with us," Zoro shrugged as the group went into the house after Nami unlocked the door. There, they found Luffy, sitting in front of the TV with a wagging tail as he watched the program that was on. It was some show about pirates and whatnot, but it certainly had him hooked. Nami almost found it cute how enthralled he was as he was watching it. However, his ears twitched as he heard the door close, causing him to turn and see the girl and her friends.  
  
 "Oh!" Luffy exclaimed. "Hey, Nami! You're back!" That's when he noticed the others behind her. "Oh, who are these guys?"  
  
 "Luffy, these are my friends," said Nami.  
  
 "Hi, I'm Vivi!" Vivi greeted. "It's nice to meet you!"  
  
 "And my name's Usopp," Usopp smiled. "A pleasure!"  
  
 "The name's Sanji," Sanji said. "Nice to meet you."  
  
 "My name is Robin," Robin said. "Charmed, I'm sure."  
  
 "And I'm Zoro," Zoro spoke.  
  
 "So you're all Nami's friends," Luffy grinned. "Nice meetin' ya! Shishishi!"  
  
 "Luffy, my friends are gonna come and visit us, once in a while," Nami said. "I hope you'll get along with them."  
  
 "Sure, I will!" Luffy answered. "They all look like good people!"  
  
 "How very nice of you, Luffy," Robin said with an amused chuckle.  
  
 "So, you're really cursed?" Zoro asked.  
  
 "Yeah, I am," Luffy answered before Usopp suddenly went up and stretched his lips back, showing his canine-like teeth. "H-hey, what are you doing?!"  
  
 "So this really isn't a costume, then?" Usopp inquired.  
  
 "Of course it's not!" Luffy argued. "Let go! That hurts!"  
  
 Nami, Robin, and Vivi couldn't help laughing a bit at the sight, and even Zoro and Sanji were a little amused. However, the humorous moment was soon interrupted when they heard a grumbling noise, which was followed by Luffy holding his paws to his stomach with a discontented expression on his face.  
  
 "That reminds me," he said. "Nami, did you bring some food? I'm starving!"  
  
 "Yeah, I brought some," Nami replied, "but I'm a little tired, right now, to cook anything."  
  
 "How about I make something instead?" Sanji asked. "I do work part-time at the Baratie."  
  
 "Huh?" Luffy muttered. "You mean you cook?"  
  
 "Hell yeah, I do," Sanji smirked. "Best in town, really."  
  
 "We ought to know," said Vivi. "We go to the restaurant where he works, all the time, and he always cooks our meals!"  
  
 "Pretty crappy food, though, if you ask me," Zoro muttered, which caused the blonde to glare at him.  
  
 "What was that, Moss-head?!" he questioned.  
  
 "You heard what I said, Dartboard-brow!!" Zoro barked.  
  
 "Come on, you two!" Nami shouted. "Every time you fight in my house, you break something!!"  
  
 "Hey, Sanji!" Luffy called. "I wanna try your food! Can you make me steak?! Anything with meat in it is okay!"  
  
 "Not surprising, considering you're a dog," Sanji said, "but sure, I'll make us all something, since I'm in the mood."  
  
 With that, he headed into the kitchen to make some delicious hamburger steaks topped with marinara sauce and sunny-side up eggs. Luffy had to have a rather big one to keep himself satisfied, but even after he finished his, he still attempted to snatch up anyone else's, which caused Sanji to yell at him. At first, Usopp and Zoro weren't going to be for it...until Luffy pulled out his secret weapon: the puppy-dog eyes. Seeing those big, round, saddened obsidian orbs of made it hard to ignore him, and when he added that little whine, they had weakened and gave the last of their hamburger steaks to them. Even Robin fed Luffy some of hers, unable to resist his canine-like charm.  
  
 In the end, though, everyone just ended up laughing and enjoying each other's company.  
  
 _'Maybe,'_  Nami thought,  _'this isn't so bad, after all.'_  
  
 However, Luffy let out a loud burp, which caused Sanji, Zoro, and Vivi to grimace slightly in disgust while Robin and Usopp only laughed, the latter even praising him, which caused Nami to sweatdrop.  
 _  
'I did say maybe,'_  she thought.

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	4. Ch. 3- Shopping Trip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nami and the others take Luffy out to do some shopping for some new clothes and get to know him better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One Piece © Oda

 It had been about a week, now, since Luffy started living with Nami at her house. For Nami, it really felt like she was taking care of a pet dog, rather than a human guest in her home. Luffy would act human for the most part, but other times, his canine instincts would take over and end up making a mess for Nami, such as when he chewed on her shoes and even her couch cushions (which she ended up replacing with ones borrowed from Vivi), and then there was the confusion on where he should go to the bathroom, whether it was the backyard or using the toilet.  
  
 Speaking of bathroom, Nami was actually in there right now...giving Luffy a thorough scrub. Needless to say, it didn't look like he was enjoying it at all, judging by his irritated expression and the grumbling sounds escaping his mouth. By now, most of his wounds had healed, so it was safe for him to bathe without worrying about them getting reopened and blood getting into the water. All Luffy coud do was sit in the tub, covered in suds while Nami kept scrubbing the top of his head with a soapy brush.  
  
 "I hate taking baths," Luffy muttered. "Even when I was human, I hated them."  
  
 "Judging by how you smelled, I figured as much," Nami replied. "Don't talk too much. You'll get soap in your eyes."  
  
 All of a sudden, Luffy stood up on all fours in the tub and began to shake vigorously, sending water and suds spraying all over the room and forcing a shrieking Nami to take cover.  
  
 "Luffy, stop it!!" she shouted, and he did stop, but not without giving her a smug smirk. "...Jerkass."  
  
 "Shishishi!" Luffy laughed.  
  
 "Fine, you can get out now," Nami replied as she stood up. "Happy?"  
  
 "Yep," Luffy replied as he got out of the tub...and soon, Nami found herself, staring directly at his soap-covered nethers, which caused her to yelp as her face flushed red, while Luffy just blinked at her in confusion.  
  
 "What?" he asked. "What's the problem?"  
  
 "AAAAH!!!" Nami shrieked as she threw a towel at Luffy's face, causing him to fall over. "PUT SOME CLOTHES ON, YOU IDIOT!!!"  
  
 "HEY!!!" Luffy shouted. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!!"  
  


XXX

  
 Nami sighed as she sat at the table, drinking some tea to calm herself while Luffy stayed in the bathroom to dry off. As she sat in the kitchen, she stared at her cup with a bit of a thoughtful look in her eyes.  
  
  _'...I didn't think he'd be so...big down there,'_  she thought as a light blush formed on her cheeks, but then she gasped silently before shaking her head.  _'Wait a minute, why the hell am I thinking about that?! Get your mind outta the gutter, Nami!!'_  
  
 She then heaved another sigh while she propped her chin on her hand. Then, she heard footsteps approaching from upstairs, causing her to turn and see Luffy, who was dressed back in his regular outfit: his hoodie shirt, blue pants, and straw hat.  
  
 "You done bein' mad at me, now?" Luffy asked with a pout, but Nami just continued to stare at him. "...Hey, say something, will you? You're not still sulking, are you?"  
  
 "...Hey, Luffy," Nami said.  
  
 "Huh?"  
  
 "You don't really have any other clothes other than those old rags, do you?"  
  
 Luffy blinked before he looked himself over.  
  
 "Huh," he muttered. "Come to think of it, I've been wearing this for a while, now. In fact, this isn't even mine. I stole it from a lost-and-found."  
  
 "Even the hat?!" Nami asked in shock.  
  
 "Oh, no, not the hat!" Luffy replied. "The hat's always been mine! And I'd never take it off, ever!"  
  
 "...Well," Nami began, "how about we go and do some shopping?"  
  
 "Huh?" Luffy muttered. "Really?"  
  
 "Sure," Nami smiled. "We can buy you some clothes and cut out a hole for your tail to stick out of. I'll even call Zoro, Usopp, and Sanji so they can pick out some outfits for you. We'll even get something to eat while we're out."  
  
 Luffy blinked...but his tail began to wag.  
  


XXX

  
 "So we're really bringing Luffy to the mall?" Usopp asked as he sat in the back seat of the car with said-dog boy, who was sticking his head out the window with his tongue flapping in the wind.  
  
 "Well, I figured it would be best if he picked out what clothes he'd like to wear," Nami answered. "Plus, it looks like he enjoys being out instead of being cooped up in the house."  
  
 "But don't you think it'll be weird if people ask why he looks like a dog?" asked Vivi.  
  
 "Relax," Nami assured. "We'll just say that he went to a costume party and the zipper got stuck."  
  
 "Works for me," Sanji shrugged.  
  
 "Hey! Hey, look!" Luffy exclaimed as he looked at the car beside them. "There's another dog in that car! Hey, are you seein' this?! There's another dog in that car!! Look!! Look at him!!!"  
  
 "Oh, brother..." Zoro grumbled while the others laughed.  Soon, the group had arrived at the mall, and Luffy seemed all too eager to hurry inside, but Nami had to grab him by the shoulder to stop him from getting too far, and just as an extra precaution, she put a collar and leash around Luffy's neck. Needless to say, he wasn't very thrilled about wearing it, but Nami assured him it was only temporary. She'd take it off as long as he behaved himself.  
  
 "I think it looks rather cute on you, Luffy," said Robin.  
  
 "Yeah, all you need is a wool sweater with little Poodles on 'em," Zoro quipped, causing Sanji and Usopp to snicker while Luffy rolled his eyes.  
  
 "Very funny," he muttered.  
  
 Soon, the group entered the mall, and sure enough, many of the patrons saw Luffy's odd form and couldn't help asking questions. One curious little boy even tried to pull his tail to check and see if Luffy really was wearing a costume, but thankfully, Nami caught the child and gently scolded him for not respecting someone's personal space. After that, they headed to one of the stores inside, and almost instantly, it seemed Luffy was getting bored. The girls seemed to be having fun, picking out all kinds of clothes, and even Sanji was having a good time. As for Zoro and Usopp, they had the same expression as Luffy: an expression that said "Get me out of here before I shoot myself in the head".  
  
 As they waited, Luffy began to hear crying come from somewhere nearby, causing him to get up to go and investigate. He soon saw the source of all the crying: a little boy who was bawling his eyes out while his mother was trying to calm him down. Curious, Luffy went over to the boy, who stopped crying and blinked up at him, sniffling with a runny nose. Luffy only smiled and wagged his tail at the boy, which caused him to laugh as the former crouched down to his height level and allowed the child to pet his head, which caused his tail to wag even more. The boy's mother, satisfied that his tears had ceased, thanked Luffy before taking her son with her, the boy waving goodbye as he left.  
  
 Nami, who was nearby, smiled warmly upon seeing Luffy cheer up the little boy before she called him over, saying she might have found some clothes for him to wear, but she wanted his opinion to be sure.  
  
 Luffy mostly picked out clothes for himself: shirts with the number 56 on them, hooded short-sleeved shirts with a zipper, hoodie jackets, and T-shirts with stars on them. He also got jean shorts and a new pair of sandals (although Nami doubted he'd wear them all the time). He even got some thinks like a black bracelet, a few pairs of sunglasses, and some pins to put on his hat. One of them looked like a man with a long, pink nose and pointy hair that looked like fox ears.  
  
 "Split-head!" Luffy exclaimed, while Nami gave an unamused glare.  
  
 "I wouldn't be caught dead with that thing," she told him.  
  
 "Me neither," Usopp added while Robin gave a humorous chuckle.  
  
 After a while, it was time for everyone to make their purchases. Of course, given how much they had bought, of course the price was going to be quite expensive. It didn't take long for Nami to blow up at the cashier and try to haggle for a discount, and Luffy quietly admitted to Zoro that she was a bit frightening.  
  
 "Get used to it," he told the dog-boy.  
  
 After a while, Nami managed to get the price to least 75% of what the clothes were all together...but of course, she made Sanji, Usopp, and Zoro carry all the bags.  
  
 "It figures you make us do all the work!" Zoro snarled.  
  
 "I don't really mind," Sanji said. "Besides, Vivi can't carry all these by herself."  
  
 "You didn't have to carry all my stuff," Vivi said.  
  
 "How come Luffy isn't carrying anything?!" Usopp questioned.  
  
 "Luffy's the one who's getting most of this stuff," answered Nami. "Right, Luffy?"  
  
 "Mmm..." Luffy groaned as he looked at Nami with a discontented expression, and it didn't take long for her to figure out why.  
  
 "You hungry?" she asked, causing Luffy to nod his head and rub his stomach in response. "I guess it is about time we had lunch."  
  
 "We can eat over there," Robin said as she pointed at the food court.  
  


XXX

  
 "Enjoy your food," said a waitress as she put down a tray of at least 6 burgers, a bowl of chicken karaage, and two large fries in front of Luffy, who panted and drooled like any dog would at the sight of the meal in front of him before he hastily started devouring it.  
  
 "He sure was hungry," Vivi said.  
  
 "He's even eating the wrappers," Sanji muttered in disgust.  
  
 "What an appetite he has," said Robin.  
  
 As Luffy kept eating, Nami sat in front of him with her elbow propped up on the table and her chin in her palm, her eyes lost in a thoughtful expression.  
  
 "...Hey, Luffy," Nami spoke up, causing Luffy to look at her with cheeks full to bursting.  
  
 "Yeah?" Luffy asked.  
  
 "I was wondering," Nami began, "what's the story behind that hat?"  
  
 "Huh?" Luffy muttered as he looked up at the straw hat on his head. "My hat?"  
  
 "Yeah," Nami said. "How come you wear it so much? I mean...it looks so old and tattered."  
  
 "That's because someone important to me let me have it," Luffy said. "If it wasn't for him, I actually wouldn't even be alive, right now."  
  
 "Wait, what?" Usopp asked in surprise.  
  
 "What happened?" asked Zoro.  
  
 "I was a pretty stupid kid," Luffy answered as he looked at his fries. "I didn't really do what people told me to do, so I got in trouble a lot...I still do sometimes, actually." He then sighed as he looked up at the ceiling. "Anyway, one day, when I was 7, I was playing a little close to the train station and I pretty much fell on the train tracks. I hit my head when I fell, so I didn't see that there was a train coming right toward me."  
  
 "You were about to get run over?!" Vivi asked, worriedly.  
  
 "I almost was," Luffy said, "but then, I woke up, and I'm being held by Shanks."  
  
 "Shanks?" Usopp repeated. "Who's that?"  
  
 "He was my elementary school teacher," Luffy said. "He was pretty much my idol. I wanted to grow up to be like him. Anyway...even though he was smiling at me, I started crying."  
  
 "Why?" Robin asked.  
  
 "Because," Luffy began with a bit of a grim tone, "I saw that he lost his left arm, trying to save me."  
  
 "He lost his arm?!" Sanji questioned.  
  
 "He couldn't get out of the way fast enough and his arm got torn off by the train wheels," Luffy said. "I felt really bad...and my Grandpa sure gave me an earful when I got to the hospital." He then smiled. "Then Shanks came to see me and he said that I was pretty strong...that's when he gave me his hat."  
  
 "And he let you keep it ever since?" asked Nami.  
  
 "Pretty much," Luffy said.  
  
 "Wow, Luffy," Vivi said in awe. "Who knew?"  
  
 "Since then, I tried to be more like Shanks," Luffy said. "Of course, that wasn't easy. I still got into trouble a lot and...well, now with me being cursed and no home and all, it's gotten pretty hard, especially since I'm alone."  
  
 "...But you're not alone," Nami said. "At least not anymore."  
  
 "Huh?" Luffy muttered.  
  
 "You have us now, don't you?" Robin asked.  
  
 "Yeah, we're your friends, right?" Usopp inquired.  
  
 Luffy's eyes went wide and his tail started wagging at least twofold before he gave a broad toothy grin.  
  
 "Yeah!" he exclaimed. "We're friends!"  
  
 The others smiled with Zoro even reaching over to pat Luffy on the shoulders.  
  
  _'This is great,'_  Luffy thought.  _'I never had this many friends before. Maybe this curse was really a blessing, after all!'_  
  
 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know, I took a while with this, but I think it came out pretty good! Hope you guys like it!

**Author's Note:**

> Love it? Hate it? Leave a comment below!


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